1. Planning for the Future: Russell County Schools USD 407
Gary L. Sechrist
Leadership Services
Kansas Association of School Boards

2. Handshake Activity
Greet someone with a handshake and introduce yourself.
Discuss the following quotes on the screen.
At the signal repeat the process. 2 2

3. “Why were you willing to serve on this planning committee?”
Handshake 1
“Why were you willing to serve on this planning committee?” 3 3

4. accomplishing together what individuals cannot accomplish alone.”
Handshake 2
“Leadership is
accomplishing together
what individuals cannot accomplish alone.” 4 4

5. Outcomes Determine community opinions of the USD 407 facilities
Define short term and long term challenges/benefits of the USD 407 facilities within the context of:
Student Needs
Curricular Needs
District-wide facilities
Personnel
The USD 407 Board of Education will deliberate and decide how/when/what to meet the needs of the community and students based upon today’s input.
Shuffle groups to balance school personnel, board members, parents, and community members

6. Where is this leading?
Community Input
Consider Options
Take Action

7. What has lead us to this meeting?
District Goals- October, 2014 Goal A: Improve communication from the district to the USD 407 internal and external publics Purpose: To increase community and staff involvement to increase teamwork, trust and student achievement within the district

8. What has lead us to this meeting?
Goal B: Provide a high performance school culture Purpose: To support professional growth and Instructional Effectiveness

9. What has lead us to this meeting?
Goal C: Provide for Well-Maintained, Updated and Safe Facilities Purpose: To invest and preserve school facilities and infrastructure

10. Russell Facilities
How many active K-12 school buildings are in the state of Kansas? 1,307 What year did Kansas districts build the most schools? 1954 What is the average age of Kansas schools? 51 years

11. USD 407 Schools
Russell High School – 1962 (54 yrs. old)

12. USD 407 Schools
Ruppenthal Middle School – 1938 (78 yrs.old)

13. USD 407 Schools
Bickerdyke Elementary School (64 yrs. old)

14. USD 407 Schools
Simpson Elementary School-1952(64 yrs. Old)

15. Russell Facilities
What year did Kansas districts build the most schools? 1954 What is the average age of Kansas schools? 51 years What is the average age of the Russell schools? 65 years

16. What did 1951 look like?
Harry S Truman was president The average cost of a new home was $9,000 The average American salary was $3,510 “I Love Lucy” premieres on television And Russell Main Street…..

17. Russell High School (Ruppenthal Middle School) was 13 years old
Looked like this…. The 1951 Prairiesta Parade celebrating Russell’s 80 year anniversary
Russell High School (Ruppenthal Middle School) was 13 years old

18. Ground Rules
Everyone will be given the opportunity to express your opinions.
All suggestions and issues are welcome.
We will have group work and consensus building on ideas, issues, problems and or concerns that are raised.

19. Be willing to cooperate with your group!
Community-Building discussion, confidentiality, interaction and……….
Be willing to cooperate with your group! 19 19

20. Remember, this is the data gathering stage of the process
Remember, this is the data gathering stage of the process. Your thoughts, ideas, and insights will be used to help make informed decisions to better serve the students in your districts. 20

21. My Job is…… Help keep you focused on the mission Think long range
Focus on the major issues
Facilitate honest and open discussion of ideas on the basis of their own merits
Be the policeman…to insure observation of the ground rules by all participants
Document your discussions/decisions in a formatted and organized manner.

22. A dream imagined and shared with a friend is your vision
A dream imagined and shared with a friend is your vision. A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes your plan. A plan backed by action makes your dreams come true.

23. Dream....
In three years
How do you wish the USD 407 facilities to serve your student’s, staff and community?
Create a short statement individually and share with your group. Write a group statement on the poster paper.
Dialogue with individual/shoulder partner/group –don’t report out
Different opinions

24. How do we plan to get there?
Where are we now?
Public Input
SWOT Analysis
Performance Measures
How do we plan to get there?
Strategies
Action Plans
Indicators
Who are we?
Beliefs
Vision
Mission
Where do we want to go?
Goal/Objectives
Monitor Plan Progress
Student Achievement Board Self-Assessment
Supt. Evaluation
Financial Budget

25. Format
In group appoint: Recorder - will capture the ideas on the poster that will be shared with the large group Presenter- Will present your group’s ideas to the large group Facilitator-ensures all voices are being heard during the discussion 10 minutes allotted per topic area
10 Minutes to Discuss, 15 minutes to share out, remind participants to not repeat items that have already been shared
Model how posters should be completed

26. Student Needs How have student needs changed in the past 50 years?
What are we having to provide for our students today that we did not provide 10, 20 years ago?

27. Student Needs

28. Based on our current students…
What would be the long term benefits that students would experience if they were attending an improved facility?
What are the current challenges that students experience by attending the existing district facilities?
What questions do you have related to our current students and their needs?

29. Educational Program
What is now expected to be offered and or learned through the curriculum compared to the past?
Point out:
Students working in small groups
Technology integration, and skills developed

30. Based on our current educational program…
How would the educational program be improved or enhanced by improved district facilities?
What are the limitations of the existing facilities that are imposed on the educational program by the existing facilities?
What questions do you have related to our current educational progam?

31. Personnel
How have teaching strategies, and practices changed or evolved?
What do teachers expect to have available to them in their classrooms?
Does the environment allow them to maximize their abilities?

32. Based on our current personnel…
What are the implications to the instruction and or teaching done by personnel working in the existing facilities?
What opportunities would be created by teachers working in improved facilities?
What questions do you have related to our current personnel?

33. District Facilities
What it is the overall impact of continuing with an aging facilities compared to a new facility?

34. Based on our current district facilities…
What are the implications to the district’s overall facility plan, capital outlay funds, and bonded indebtedness, by continuing to utilize the existing facilities?
What are the implications to the districts overall facility plan, capital outlay funds, and bonded indebtedness, with new and/or improved facilities?
What questions do you have related to our district facilities?

35. Gallery Walk
Gallery Walk – individually decide on 4 or 5 common themes of the facility group work
Consensus – Come to consensus in your group of 4 or 5 common themes. Write them down on the large sheet provided.
Group Report – Each group will report their common themes. The other groups will listen closely and mark out the common themes they have identified.
Prioritize – Each individual will use a ‘dot’ to prioritize their opinion of the importance of the common themes.

36. 15 minute break

37. What are the solutions?

38. 38

39. Four P’s of a New Beginning
What people need
What leaders need to do
Purpose
Understand the purpose behind the outcome.
Explain the purpose.
Picture
See what the outcome looks and feels like.
Show the picture.
Plan
Have a plan for how to get from here to there.
Lay out the plan.
Part
Have a part in the plan and the outcomes.
Allocate the part.
(Bridges, 2003)

40. Why should we do it? (Purpose)
Communication
What are the key messages that need to be communicated as a result of today's meeting?
Why should we do it? (Purpose)

41. (For future needs)

42. What’s the next step? I will compile this information
I will report the information to the USD 407 BOE
The USD 407 BOE will deliberate and decide what the next steps are based upon this public input.